In the first moment of silence
by Tshjortile
Summary: The first moment of silence is a moment of realisation, shock. It's the calm before the storm. Reaction to Episode 4x18 "Shooting Stars".


(Not betaed. Sorry for any kind of mistakes.)

When the shoot fell, time froze, and everyone startled in the movement. Blaine had been waiting for Tina by the door, Unique and Marley were on the way to their seats chatting, Artie had just wheeled right to the guitar, because he wanted to dedicate a song to his friends. Ryder had been starin at his phone, waiting for Katie to.. just give him a sign she was still willing to talk to him. Mr. Shuester and Shannon Beiste were getting over the awkwardness of the „I want you to be the man in my life"-dinner.

So when the shoot echoed through the hallways of William McKinley High School, everything startled, and time froze, and Mr. Shuester and Coach Beiste didn't even have time to think of all the moments they prayed not to have to do anything like this, ever. They ushered the kids to hide away wherever they could, cold sweat on their skin.

In the first moment of utter, painful silence, Shannon grabbed Will's hand and squeezed, because it was the only thing she could think of. And Will turned his head to her, eyes as wide as the kid's, and maybe as wide as hers, too, and he squeezed back and understood her silent 'I love you'. It was all platonic, and he replied in the same way: by squeezing her hand.

In the first moment of utter, painful silence, Marley tried to feel Jake by her side, even though he sat next to kitty, just not to freak out, and clutched Uniques hand, because she really, really felt like she was dying just sitting there. Her heart beated fast and hard and she couldn't breathe. All she thought was: Mum. Her mother was in the cafeteria, working as always. Please let her be okay, she pleaded silently, clutching Unique's hand in her own, who hold her just as thoroughly.

Brittany was not there, Sam thought and bit his lip not to say anything, and he hadn't told her he loved her when they had parted in the morning for their different classes. He chewed the inside of his cheek, bit a little too hard to stay focused not to make any noise. It wasn't safe. They weren't safe. Brittany wasn't, and he hadn't told her he loved her because all she had in mind had been her cat. Sam felt stupid.

Ryder was still staring at his phone, and tried to get a grip on what had happened. This was one of the things that happened in TV and in movies, but not in reality. He had read about this in sociology when they had talked about stress and too much pressure and hopes and dreams, and he remembered the discussion this obnoxious girl had had with their teacher, about weapon laws. He tried not to think of his parents who must be worried sick and how he hadn't apologised after the fight with his father last night. He tried to ignore the worry about Katie, if she even was part of McKinley's school body, and fiddled with his phone, because he needed something to settle himself.

In the first moment of silence, Kitty felt like this really was the Tubbington Comet coming down on Earth, starting an Apocalypse and leaving her behind, and she regretted all the mean things she had said just to fufill people's expectations. She loved, sure, but.. just thinking about all the mean things she had said about Marley's mom made her sick to her stomach. Kitty looked acrott the room to her friend.

The first person Blaine thought of wasn't Kurt. It was Tina, who wasn't there. He gripped his legs tightly, and bit his lip in worry. Blaine wanted her to be okay, and not to be stuck somewhere. Damn, all he wanted was to know she was safe, and he felt his breath go hard. So he allowed himself to think of Kurt, to calm himself down, because he knew at least Kurt was safe in New York. Breathing got easier again, somehow, and Blaine put silently out his phone when Mr. Shue told them to text and tweet, and heard Marley sob in worry about her mom. His first text was an answer to Tina, to tell her to stay where she was and not do something stupid. His second text was directed to Kurt. One of the simple 'I love you's they sent from time to time to remind themselves that there were people out there who cared about them. And he knew, somewhere in New York, Kurt would smile when he saw the text.

In this first moment of silence, everyone had been on their own, even though they had clinged to each other. When they were allowed to move again, each and everyone moved to be closer.


End file.
